(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an error display system for displaying an error such as an abnormality or a malfunction occurring at an apparatus including various drive mechanisms such as a workpiece processing mechanism and a workpiece transporting mechanism.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In an apparatus including various drive mechanisms such as a workpiece processing mechanism and a workpiece transporting mechanism and a process performed by the apparatus, there has been adopted a display system for notifying an operator of an error such as an abnormality or a malfunction occurring at each drive mechanism. For example, an IC transporting apparatus includes a display device capable of readily identifying a transport error occurrence site in course of transport of an IC among respective processing mechanisms from a loader to an unloader.
This display device schematically displays main processes performed by the respective processing mechanisms from the loader to the unloader, and allows a light emitting diode, corresponding to a process in which an error occurs, to flash. In addition, the display device displays a message about the error on a lower portion of a display region thereof (refer to, e.g., JP-A 06-148251 (FIG. 1)).
However, a conventional display device has the following problems.
The conventional display device is effective at identifying a process in which an error occurs. However, the conventional display device only uses character information in order to notify an operator of a state of the error occurring at a drive mechanism in the process. This results in the following disadvantage: only a skilled operator can promptly identify an error occurrence site in the drive mechanism based on the character information. In particular, as a result of advanced automation of an apparatus in recent years, an operator does not necessarily to manage the apparatus constantly. Consequently, skilled operators are reduced in number, and there arises a problem that it takes much time to correct an error.
In addition, an operator must visually check whether or not a drive mechanism subjected to error correction is normally actuated in a state that the drive mechanism is actually actuated, resulting in complicated work.